During the summer of 2001, I searched through thousands of Zelkova serrata seedlings growing in nursery rows in Canby, Oreg. I examined these trees looking for significant seedling variation that might allow for the selection of improved cultivars. During this search, I found one tree which was significantly different from all other seedlings in the field due to its compact, semi-dwarf growth habit and short internode length. I marked and labeled this tree, and directed it to be dug during winter dormancy.
In February, 2002, this original ‘JFS-KW1’ tree was transplanted into a special row with other trees which were under evaluation at nursery grounds in Boring, Oreg. In September of 2002, I began test propagation of this original ‘JFS-KW1’ tree by directing the budding onto Zelkova serrata rootstock in a nursery in Canby, Oreg. On examining the resulting propagated trees during the summer of 2003, I determined that the tree was fixed in its dwarf characteristics and that it possessed a unique and valuable form. I designated this tree with the cultivar name ‘JFS-KW1’.
In 2003 and 2004, I again directed asexual propagation of my new cultivar in small test plots by budding onto Zelkova serrata rootstock at a nursery in Canby, Oreg. I then evaluated the growth characteristics of trees in each plot during the following three years. In February of 2007, I also asexually propagated a small test plot of trees of my new cultivar by top grafting at a two meter height onto Zelkova serrata seedling trunks growing at a nursery in Canby, Oreg. I evaluated these trees during the next two growing seasons. This asexual propagation has shown that the unique characteristics of my new tree are firmly fixed in each successive generation.